Tortured Rockdale Bartender Still Critical After Beating

A 45-year-old Joliet-area woman who was beaten and left for dead overnight in an old industrial site off Mound Road hasn't seen any improvement over the past few days, Rockdale's police chief told Joliet Patch on Saturday night. The disturbing discovery in Rockdale occurred around 7:20 a.m. Thursday. That night, at 10:23 p.m. the victim's boyfriend of three months, Jason Errichetto, was booked into Will County's Adult Detention Facility. He was charged with nine felonies including attempted murder and three felonies accusing him of torturing his girlfriend.

Errichetto has a criminal history, Will County court files show. In 2014, he was arrested for domestic violence, a crime that led to a felony conviction. He also served time in prison for burglary and his past arrests include DUI, possession of marijuana, fleeing police and a slew of traffic citations. But Thursday's horrific crime may put Errichetto in prison for the rest of his life, if he's convicted. The crime was so wicked that Errichetto, who lives in the 100 block of Joliet's Madonna Avenue, is being held without bond.

The victim lives in Rockdale and she worked as a bartender in Rockdale.

RELATED: Jason Errichetto Charged With Attempted Murder

Rockdale's Police Chief Robert Dykstra said the victim was found in the 300 block of Mound Road, about 10 yards from her car. The site is about a block from Route 6 and Brandon Road, the chief noted.

The site of the attack is within walking distance from the Brandon Road bridge. "We believe the original altercation occurred between midnight and 1 a.m. and that she was there for several hours," Dykstra said.

On Thursday night, Errichetto was arrested at his Joliet house on Madonna Avenue, the chief said. By that point, Errichetto gave a statement to police detectives. However, that interview came to abrupt end when the attempted murder suspect invoked his right to an attorney, the police chief said.

"We believe we had enough evidence and physical evidence and his statements," Dykstra said.

Rockdale's chief said it's his belief that Jason Errichetto visited the bar Wednesday night where his girlfriend worked. Afterward, they drove to the industrial tract off Mound Road where Errichetto is suspected of inflicting a savage beating and leaving her outside overnight in the dark. After the attack, he left in his vehicle and drove back to Joliet, police determined. The area where the victim was left once was an old Navy shipyard. Nowadays, it has construction and mining equipment, the chief pointed out.

After sunrise, on Thursday morning, a couple of men who came to the industrial yard off Mound Road discovered the woman. Her face was covered in blood. She was sitting on the ground. Police were called. An ambulance was sent. The woman was rushed to St. Joe's.

"She was conscious and breathing," Dykstra said. "She had been battered. There were several injuries to her face."

Once the victim arrived at St. Joe's, it became apparent to doctors and medical staff that she suffered severe head trauma and her condition was life-threatening, the chief explained.

Rockdale police immediately notified the Will County State's Attorney's Office. This spurred the activation of the Will-Grundy County Major Crimes Task Force. As many as 50 to 60 detectives and crime scene evidence technicians descended on Rockdale Thursday to conduct a full-scale investigation. And that investigation led back to the victim's boyfriend.

The two had been romantically involved since September, the chief confirmed.

Given the victim's grave condition, detectives have not conducted any type of full-scale interview with her yet to nail down the motive for the crime.

"I think we know he did it," Dykstra said. "As to why, I think that's a question we'd all like to ask him."

Although Errichetto has an extensive criminal record in Will County, Thursday's attempted murder marked the first time Rockdale police have dealt with the Joliet man, the chief said.

"He just frequented that tavern and happened to be dating her," Dykstra said.

Dykstra said that out of respect for the family's wishes, he prefers not to release too much information about her condition and the extent of her injuries.

The chief did say that the woman was "in critical condition" when she got to St. Joe's. He said the family remains with her night and day at the hospital.

"They want to focus on her recovery," he said. "It's very upsetting for the family, and they want to maintain their privacy.

"At this point, she is very close to the condition that she was brought in."

The police chief for Rockdale said that he and his officers have encountered their share of domestic abuse cases over the years, but Thursday's ordeal off Mound Road was particularly disturbing based on the "severe injuries" the bartender suffered.

The investigation determined that Errichetto punched her repeatedly. The chief did not believe any weapons were involved in the attack.

The attempted murder probe of the major crimes unit included detectives and evidence techs from Joliet, Will County, Plainfield, Bolingbrook, Romeoville and Crest Hill, Rockdale's chief noted. Dykstra was pleased the convicted domestic abuser is in the Will County Jail with no bond.

"This is definitely an unnecessary and terrible outcome," he said.

Mugshots of Jason Errichetto via Will County Sheriff's Department, secondary image via Google Maps